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AssureWel Laying Hen Assessment Protocol
AssureWel Laying Hen Assessment Protocol
Assessment protocol
Guidance on sampling
Welfare outcome assessments to be carried out in one house only, on the oldest flock on site. (For schemes where individual houses
are certified separately, assessments to be carried out in all houses but only recorded and fed back on the oldest flock on site.) If
multiple houses at same age, choose a house at random. Where individual birds are assessed, ensure samples are taken from a range
of the functional locations in a unit; these can include: litter area, slatted area, raised perches, lower tier, upper tier, range. Ensure
samples are taken from a range of geographical locations within the house/range, for example a sample on the range close to the
popholes and a sample in the middle of the range. Birds should be sampled to provide a reasonable representation of the proportion
of birds in different locations at the time of the visit. For example, if 20% of the birds are on the range then two different samples, each
assessing 5 birds, should be from the range (up to a maximum of 5 out of 10 samples on the range). Ensure the birds chosen are a
random sample in that location, e.g. sample every 5th bird, and avoid being drawn to certain birds.
3 or more birds out of the 50 to be assessed jointly with the stockperson (record assessor’s score only).
1. Feather loss
Method of assessment: Assess and score 5 birds in each of 10 different areas of the
house and/or range. Visually assess the head/neck area and
back/vent area of the bird (without handling birds).
2. Bird dirtiness
Method of assessment: Assess and score 5 birds in each of 10 different areas of the house and/or range.
Visual assessment of one side of the bird, except the feet and legs.
Scoring: 0= Clean
The bird is clean
1= Moderate dirtiness
There is soiling on at least one part of the bird but no area ≥ 5cm maximum
dimension
2= Substantial dirtiness
There is soiling on one or more parts of the bird ≥ 5cm maximum dimension
3. Beak trimming
Method of assessment: a) Refer to chick placement records and/or ask the unit manager to determine
whether /when the birds’ were beak trimmed.
b) Visually assess the birds’ beaks during the assessment.
Method of assessment: Observe and listen to the behaviour of birds in the house for one minute (after allowing
time for birds to return to undisturbed behaviour) and during the rest of the time
spent in the house or on the range.
5. Flightiness
Record: Calm - In general, the birds appear undisturbed by your presence or actively
approach you
Cautious - In general, the birds' behaviour is disturbed by your presence but the
birds do not appear actively alarmed
Flighty - The birds appear actively alarmed by your presence
Method of assessment: Assess the whole flock for sick or injured birds that would benefit from hospitalisation
(removal from the main flock) or should be culled.
This would include obviously sick birds (with fluffed up feathers and an inactive,
unresponsive appearance) and birds with body wounds that have fresh blood that
might attract cannibalistic attention from other birds. Include birds in hospital pen
that should be culled.
Record: Number of any sick/injured birds found that would benefit from hospitalisation or
culling. Record if possible the type of sickness/injury: sick, loose droppings, skin
lesions, eye problem, lameness, other.
7. Mortality